Replacement Of Incumbent Council Boss Contested

The people of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos State, have risen to contest the nomination of Fatai Ajidagba by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to replace the incumbent chairman, Wahab Adigun Adebayo, whom they described as their favoured candidate.

However, the ACN chairman in Ifelodun LCDA Alhaji Muda Kuti explained taht the people have chosen the candidate to lead them.

“We held several meetings concerning the choice of our chairmanship candidate. Adigun was present at the meetings and we advidsed him to obey the voice of the people,” the ACN leader said.

He added, “we acted acoording to the directive given to us by the party to choose a suitable chairmanship candidate. This we did by moving to the grassroots to consult with the people and we picked Adigun.”

Former House of Representatives member in the area, Comrade Olu Ogunjobi, said everything is under control. “I arrived from Abuja three days ago, concerning the issue of the chairmanship, and I tell you that there is no problem about it. Let me correct the impression of who is to contest and who is not, everybody has the right to contest for any position, it is left for the party to decide who they will present to the people who they will vote for. In order words, the people should calm down and don’t create any problem in the community,” he said.

The youth leader of the community, Demola Anthony, said they will not vote for the person they don’t want and if care is not taken, they will vote for their opposition because they suspect foul play in the setting. “We are not going to vote for Ajidagba, we don’t know him and we don’t want him.”

Adetola Ogunnoki, one of the ACN leaders in the community further explained that they called all the aspirants and appealed to them to cooperate with Adigun, the people’s choice, but Fatai has refused, “only for him to use his influence to manipulate the choice of the people.”

Contacted, the Assistance Publicity Secretary, Chief Funsho Ologunde, said: “The party has made its choice and his name has been published. Fatai is the choice of the people, and it is only natural for people from Adigun’s faction to protest. The directive they are talking about is a misconception as the directive stated clearly that any sitting chairman that has not performed well, should be replaced and the people wrote a petition. This is very clear and the party has taken its position.”

—Motunrayo Idris & Kashimana Beba